From the kitchen, his mother, Sarah, glanced up—and her eyes widened with alarm.
“Jake, where on earth did that baby come from?” she asked, hurrying toward him.
Jake looked anxious but steady. “I found him in the park, Mom. He was all alone. It was getting dark, and no one was around. I didn’t know what else to do, so I brought him here.”
Sarah’s heart raced as she took in the small baby, likely just a few months old, wrapped in a blanket and blinking drowsily. Without hesitation, she grabbed her phone and called the police, explaining everything. Officers arrived within minutes. Jake recounted how he had spotted the baby on a bench near the playground—bundled up, but clearly abandoned.
One of the officers, a man named Daniels, looked seriously at Jake and said, “I know what you did…”
Jake’s stomach dropped, fearing he’d made things worse. But Officer Daniels continued, “…and I want you to know you did the right thing by bringing him somewhere safe.”
Jake let out a shaky breath, the tension melting from his shoulders. Sarah laid a reassuring hand on his back, relieved that the police seemed understanding and focused on finding the baby’s family rather than casting blame.
Officer Daniels formally introduced himself and explained that the baby would need to be taken to the hospital for a checkup. “We’ll also need to inform Social Services,” he added gently. “They’ll check for any reports of a missing infant and make sure he’s looked after.”
The baby gave a soft whimper from the living room. Jake looked down at the little bundle and realized he didn’t even know the baby’s name. A strange, protective feeling bloomed in his chest. From the moment he’d seen the child alone on that park bench, he’d felt responsible—like he couldn’t just walk away.
Sarah gathered what little she could find—an emergency diaper she kept for neighborhood babysitting, though she had no formula. She hoped the hospital would have what was needed. One of the officers carefully picked up the baby to carry him to the patrol car, but Jake hesitated.
“I’d like to come with you,” he said softly. “I just want to make sure he’s okay.”
Officer Daniels gave him a small nod. Sarah, still anxious and overwhelmed, grabbed her keys and said she would follow in her own car. There was no way she was letting Jake face this alone.
At the hospital, a quiet buzz of urgency filled the air. Nurses checked the baby’s vitals while a doctor examined him. Jake stood just outside the room, arms crossed tightly across his chest, worry etched on his face. His mother stayed beside him…